This celestial realm, this entire Forbidden Zone… it was all created by Lingxuan…?

Mu Zhi’an’s mind was filled with questions as he processed the Jade Empress’s words.

“This senior isn’t the Reincarnated Empress…?” he asked, turning to the Jade Empress.

“She is the Reincarnated Empress,” she replied, nodding.

“But not entirely.”

This fairy loves to be cryptic and keep people in suspense. I wonder if she’s like this all the time… He thought, quickly suppressing those inappropriate thoughts and looking at her with a sincere expression. “What do you mean, Fairy Sister?”

Lingxuan also looked at her, curiosity evident in her eyes.

Though she still resented the Jade Empress for her public display of affection towards Mu Zhi’an, she had to admit that the Empress, with her vast knowledge and experience, was far more knowledgeable than any of them.

The Jade Empress hovered in the air, her green dress accentuating her slender figure, her aura as ethereal and unattainable as a celestial being.

She smiled faintly, her gaze sweeping over Lingxuan before settling on Mu Zhi’an. “She isn’t the true Reincarnated Empress. She’s a puppet created by the Reincarnated Empress.”

“She lacks self-awareness because the true Reincarnated Empress didn’t grant her consciousness. She only gave her a single purpose.”

She looked at the woman in the white dress. “To wait.”

“She’s waiting for the true inheritor to enter the Ancestral Ground and fulfill her task.”

“And Lingxuan is the true inheritor?” he asked, then his eyes widened as realization dawned. “So Lingxuan… she’s the Reincarnated Empress?”

If the Forbidden Zone was created by Lingxuan, and the puppet had been waiting for someone…

The answer was clear.

The puppet was waiting for her creator, the perfect inheritor of the Forbidden Zone.

Ye Lingxuan was the Reincarnated Empress!

The Jade Empress nodded, her gaze fixed on the puppet. “It seems so.”

Lingxuan stared at her, then, as the puppet nodded silently, understanding filled her eyes.

She was surprised, but not entirely shocked.

She had always been a prodigy, her cultivation speed surpassing that of her peers.

It wasn’t just a slight advantage. She was three, even five times faster than others.

Even the master of the Forbidden Zone had been surprised by her talent.

She had always been known as the most talented disciple in the Forbidden Zone.

She was truly a Chosen One.

But she had never imagined that she was the Reincarnated Empress. Her heart was filled with a strange mix of emotions.

“Will she still be herself after receiving the inheritance?” Mu Zhi’an asked.

The puppet nodded silently. “Each life is a new beginning. After nine lives, she will achieve supreme enlightenment and transcend reincarnation, becoming an eternal being.”

The Reincarnated Empress’s path involved nine reincarnations, culminating in supreme enlightenment and eternal life.

And Ye Lingxuan… she was the culmination of that path.

“Lingxuan is that amazing?” He looked at her, his voice filled with awe.

He had known she was a “protagonist,” that she had a powerful background, but he had never imagined that she was the Reincarnated Empress.

It was as if he had caught a beautiful fish for his pond, then discovered it was a baby orca.

And then, as the truth unraveled, he realized: Holy crap, it’s a mosasaur!

No wonder the Desolate Time Lock had flown into her hand the moment the inheritance ceremony had begun.

It was her weapon, her destiny.

He knew a Reincarnator, and now he knew a Reincarnated Empress. His heart was filled with a strange mix of emotions, and a flicker of worry crossed his mind.

Were there any Transmigrators among the people he knew?

What if one of them suddenly started talking about computers?

And there was another problem.

The Desolate Time Lock.

It could manipulate time, and Lingxuan had expressed a desire to keep him by her side… the chain had even reacted to her thoughts.

Once she received the Reincarnated Empress’s inheritance and became the Empress of the Forbidden Zone.

Would she act on those thoughts…?

As he pondered this, the Jade Empress’s voice echoed in his mind. “Why did she invite him into the Ancestral Ground? She’s just a puppet.”

“She needs his vessel for the future. She’s going to bestow an aura upon him,” the puppet replied calmly.

The Jade Empress’s eyes widened. “If I’m not mistaken, each of your nine lives created a unique aura that resides within you… are you referring to one of those auras?”

The puppet nodded silently.

“Aren’t you worried he’ll leave Lingxuan…?” the Jade Empress asked.

The puppet looked at Lingxuan. “The Desolate Time Lock has already marked him. It’s fine.”

Once the Desolate Time Lock marked someone, it could retrieve them from anywhere in the Nine Realms, even the distant Western Regions.

Lingxuan didn’t possess such power yet.

But in the future…

Why does it sound like the Desolate Time Lock is some kind of long-range retrieval device…? He thought, a sense of unease growing within him.

The puppet turned to him. “You can refuse if you don’t want to accept it.”

A unique aura, cultivated for five thousand years… it was a tempting offer.

However…

It sounded like she intended to store the aura within his Innate Celestial Vessel, then return it to Lingxuan later.

He didn’t understand why she was going through so much trouble.

However, storing the aura within his vessel would also be beneficial to him.

The Innate Celestial Vessel was originally formed from spiritual energy, and his various “encounters” had enhanced it, allowing it to evolve.

And now, if he received the aura of one of the Reincarnated Empress’s past lives, even if it was eventually returned to Lingxuan, his vessel would be further enhanced during the time it resided within him.

… Though the enhancement wouldn’t directly benefit him.

The joy would be hers, not his.

“Accept it. That aura will be useful to you in the future,” the Jade Empress transmitted her voice.

“If you can comprehend the Dao she attained in that life, it’ll make your Soul Transformation tribulation much easier.”

He wouldn’t directly benefit from storing the aura within his vessel, but the Dao it contained… that was something he needed.

“I intend to accept it,” he replied, transmitting his voice.

“For you, and for Fairy Sister.”

She was surprised, then she met his gaze, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Very well,” she murmured.

Lingxuan noticed their exchange, her brow furrowing slightly.

She had a feeling they were hiding something from her.

It bothered her.

He smiled inwardly, noticing the flicker of emotion in the Jade Empress’s eyes.

See? Persistence pays off.

She might be an aloof and revered Empress, but she wasn’t completely unapproachable.

His words had touched her heart.

He then felt a cold sensation on his wrist.

He looked down and saw the Desolate Time Lock wrapped around his wrist.

“…!”

He quickly composed himself, turning to the puppet. “Senior, I accept your offer.”

“For me, and for…”

He trailed off, glancing at Lingxuan, his gaze filled with love and tenderness.

She looked away, blushing, and raised her hand.

The Desolate Time Lock, which had been tightening around his wrist, retreated back into her sleeve.

“Apologies, Brother Mu. The Desolate Time Lock… it’s still new to me. I’m still learning to control it. I didn’t mean to do that” she said softly.

I understand, Lingxuan. You have no ill intentions. You’re just a sweet and innocent girl who cares about her brother… He shook his head, smiling. “I know. It’s the chain’s fault, not yours.”

He turned to the puppet. “When will the inheritance ceremony begin, Senior?”

“It can begin now,” she replied.

He nodded, then looked at Lingxuan. “Will yours begin now as well?”

The puppet nodded again.

“Can you wake me up when Brother Mu is ready to leave the Ancestral Ground?” Lingxuan asked the puppet.

“I want to see him off.”

The puppet hesitated, then nodded.

It would delay the inheritance ceremony, but she wouldn’t disobey her creator’s orders.

A slight delay wouldn’t affect the inheritance’s integrity.

The Jade Empress watched them, her expression calm, her every movement graceful, her aura alluring.

…

Three days passed.

Mu Zhi’an’s inheritance ceremony only took three days.

He wasn’t receiving a full inheritance, only one of the Reincarnated Empress’s auras, which was being stored within his Innate Celestial Vessel.

As the aura entered his vessel, he felt a profound Dao resonating within him.

It was the Dao the Reincarnated Empress had attained in that life, and he could now sense it.

Being friends with a protagonist really does have its perks. He opened his eyes, savoring the aura within his vessel, its Dao resonating with his being.

Lingxuan also opened her eyes.

The puppet had awakened her.

“Brother Mu,” she called out.

He turned to see her standing up, her hands smoothing her skirt as she walked towards him.

“If you encounter any danger at the Jade Pool Sacred Land, prioritize your safety,” she said softly.

“Don’t worry. I will,” he replied with a smile, touched by her concern.

“Besides, don’t you trust my abilities?”

She nodded. “I do.”

She glanced at the Jade Empress, who was watching them from a distance, her expression calm.

Seeing her, Lingxuan couldn’t help but recall the events at the Rebirth Pool.

She turned back to Mu Zhi’an, her eyes flickering with a mix of emotions, then she reached out, her hand on the back of his head.

Imitating the Jade Empress’s actions, she leaned in, her soft lips pressing against his.

He was surprised, then, seeing the shyness in her eyes, his heart pounded, and he returned her kiss.

Though she wasn’t wearing any lipstick, her kiss was still intoxicating.

The Jade Empress watched them silently.

After what felt like an eternity, they parted.

Lingxuan exhaled softly, her breath sweet and warm.

Now the scent the Jade Empress had left on him… it was hers.

She glanced at the Jade Empress, her cheeks flushed, but her eyes held a spark of triumph.

She released him and took a step back, turning to the Jade Empress. “I’ll leave him in your care, Fairy Sister,” she said with a smile.

“Don’t worry,” the Jade Empress replied, her voice ethereal.

She hovered in the air, her delicate feet as white as jade.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze meeting Lingxuan’s.

“I’ll take good care of your Dao Companion.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay